SO who has their cows back in?

whelan1

some rain today... mine will not be going out tomorrow

Mulumpy

whelan1 wrote: »

some rain today... mine will not be going out tomorrow

Heavy mist all day here. Cows not doing too much damage yet!!!

delaval

whelan1 wrote: »

some rain today... mine will not be going out tomorrow

Why not?

f140

delaval wrote: »

Why not?

she has a lot of silage left and wants to use it up :P

Timmaay

Really prefer not to, had them walking out to one of the far silage paddocks last few days, laneway there isn't the best so will keep them closer tomorrow. I think I've the same problem as you Whelan, I worked out that I've 55% of all the farm grazed out, going to run out at this rate, so will have to be more careful about the areas I give them, and feed them more silage. We had alot calf over the winter (nov/dec/jan) , so good bit of demand at the minute.

delaval

Timmaay wrote: »

Really prefer not to, had them walking out to one of the far silage paddocks last few days, laneway there isn't the best so will keep them closer tomorrow. I think I've the same problem as you Whelan, I worked out that I've 55% of all the farm grazed out, going to run out at this rate, so will have to be more careful about the areas I give them, and feed them more silage. We had alot calf over the winter (nov/dec/jan) , so good bit of demand at the minute.

Will you have enough 'till 1/4?
If it didn't rain would you be worrried?

maxxuumman

Yep, brought them back in at 12 today. Didn't eat much silage, all the cubicle beds were full at 12:15. Staying in tonight. Probably do the same tomorrow, and see then for tomorrow night.40% grazed and have to to buy silage for them, but am too worried about grass to let them plough a paddock. The land is dry here, but they did a bit too much damage to the paddock last night. Dont want another one damaged.
Next week is returning to the very cold, so can't see much grass appearing in the short term future

Timmaay

delaval wrote: »

Will you have enough 'till 1/4?
If it didn't rain would you be worrried?

Hmm yeh had not got around to working that out yet! In terms of it raining, if the weather stays like this it will make grazing out the rest of the silage ground challenging, however I'll manage, it will just mean bringing the cows through the 2nd yard, which is alittle messy.

But anyways, just after worked out how much grass I actually have left now. I'm after eyeballing most of the farm today (well ok didn't even eyeball some of the paddocks, but I know roughly the cover of them), and after firing the figures into agrinet now.

Forgive me if I'm arseways with any of the following, I'll admit straight out this is the 1st year I've ever tried to do a proper spring grass budget. Anyways, Average farm cover (across everything, including all silage ground, on the one block anyways) is 550, as of today. Assuming the target is to graze down to a cover of 250kg/ha, in the 8 paddocks I have left to graze out, there is a total of just over 11,000kg of grass on the farm. At the minute with 60 cows eating 10kg of grass per day (out by day only, is 10kg realistic?), anyways, the cows will have 18days of grass left, which is until March 26th, which might not be too far off April 1st, but I'd hope to be getting them out by night also sooner than that.

TEAT SQUEEZER

Timmaay wrote: »

Hmm yeh had not got around to working that out yet! In terms of it raining, if the weather stays like this it will make grazing out the rest of the silage ground challenging, however I'll manage, it will just mean bringing the cows through the 2nd yard, which is alittle messy.

But anyways, just after worked out how much grass I actually have left now. I'm after eyeballing most of the farm today (well ok didn't even eyeball some of the paddocks, but I know roughly the cover of them), and after firing the figures into agrinet now.

Forgive me if I'm arseways with any of the following, I'll admit straight out this is the 1st year I've ever tried to do a proper spring grass budget. Anyways, Average farm cover (across everything, including all silage ground, on the one block anyways) is 550, as of today. Assuming the target is to graze down to a cover of 250kg/ha, in the 8 paddocks I have left to graze out, there is a total of just over 11,000kg of grass on the farm. At the minute with 60 cows eating 10kg of grass per day (out by day only, is 10kg realistic?), anyways, the cows will have 18days of grass left, which is until March 26th, which might not be too far off April 1st, but I'd hope to be getting them out by night also sooner than that.

dont forget tim ure growing grass over the whole grazing area too so your net reduction is less than u think.. already your making up some days.

if ure stocking rate is 2 cows/ ha then demand is 20 .. you could be growing that pretty soon with the lift in temps at the moment..

whelan1

land as wet as ever here, at least there is growth

maxxuumman

whelan1 wrote: »

land as wet as ever here, at least there is growth

Noticed that, paddocks that have been grazed off are greening up, slowly but surely. Whatever is coming in the next week, at least there is mild dry weather forecast from the 20th on.

stanflt

maxxuumman wrote: »

Noticed that, paddocks that have been grazed off are greening up, slowly but surely. Whatever is coming in the next week, at least there is mild dry weather forecast from the 20th on.

Cows out every day no damage will post yesterday's and today's pics later. Growth slow but I'm slowing down rotation to finish first round by 12-15 April. Will speed up if growth comes

mahoney_j

Cows still out day and night,Just with wet weather u have to go back to using all the tricks of the trade like back fences,front fences multiple entry and exit points etc.Currently have about 53% grazed and will reintroduce some high quality wraps at night for next few days,No si.lage during daythough.End of first round is 07/04 for me and i should be ok at that might end a few days early though but will cross that bridge if it arises

maxxuumman

stanflt wrote: »

Cows out every day no damage will post yesterday's and today's pics later. Growth slow but I'm slowing down rotation to finish first round by 12-15 April. Will speed up if growth comes

I'm going to let them in tonight. Very wet here this morning, and they are doing damage. I'm the same as you, trying to keep on first rotation until after 12th. Usually finish first rotation around 6 or 7 th, but that can't happen this year. The occasional night in will buy me a half day here and there to help with the finish date.

delaval

whelan1 wrote: »

land as wet as ever here, at least there is growth

Yoy may send for those sheep again:rolleyes::rolleyes:

pakalasa

Just checked forecast. No rain for tomorrow or Tuesday. I was out last night at 2am checking on a cow in the field. I can never remember such a strong wind blowing down from the North. Very unusual.

1chippy

I was thinking to let the rest of the cows out last week, bloody glad i didnt. Enough silage for another 3-4 weeks so should be grand.

whelan1

snowing here on and off all day, if it continues i might get out with slurry, cows will be in all week

Mulumpy

Cows in tonight first in three weeks. They're glad to have their cubicle beds tonight.

stanflt

cows yesterday


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cows today in snow



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TEAT SQUEEZER

cows were out today dodging the snow showers... then at 4 the heavens opened .. so its in In IN no ifs, whats, maybes ....:(.

dar31

cows in for the last 3 days, got them back out to day, turned a blind eye to the snow showers.
said id let them out this evening to grazed with the option of coming back in to shed if they wanted for feed, was over in yard checking springers, and only a dozen or so in shed.
wouldnt blame them really as there was as much snow in the shed as out, harsh wind blowing snow under canopy on A roof

stanflt

dar31 wrote: »

cows in for the last 3 days, got them back out to day, turned a blind eye to the snow showers.
said id let them out this evening to grazed with the option of coming back in to shed if they wanted for feed, was over in yard checking springers, and only a dozen or so in shed.
wouldnt blame them really as there was as much snow in the shed as out, harsh wind blowing snow under canopy on A roof

Cows in today for the first time since I let them out-4- 6 inches of snow

keep going

no snow here but regrowths are looking awfull tight

Manoffeeling

keep going wrote: »

no snow here but regrowths are looking awfull tight

What's a regrowth?

reilig

Manoffeeling wrote: »

What's a regrowth?

Where a paddock has been eaten, the grass that grows on it is called regrowth.

whelan1

reilig wrote: »

Where a paddock has been eaten, the grass that grows on it is called regrowth.

unfortunately regrowth has been missing so far this year:D

td5man

whelan1 wrote: »

unfortunately regrowth has been missing so far this year:D

Sun shining here no snow

whelan1

td5man wrote: »

Sun shining here no snow

fook off

Viewtodiefor

whelan1 wrote: »

fook off

Cows out lying down in the sunshine! Nice ditch to there back tis actually warm behind it

stanflt

td5man wrote: »

Sun shining here no snow

I thought you were in Meath

whelan1

stanflt wrote: »

I thought you were in Meath

ye, costa del kells:D

Viewtodiefor

whelan1 wrote: »

ye, costa del kells:D

I think d grass may actually be growing!

Timmaay

Sun here in Wicklow also, I got the cows back out to the silage paddocks again today, 1st day back there after the weather broke 2 weeks ago! First few paddocks that were grazed back in the 1st week of feb are greening up nicely now, must be about 8/900 of a cover on them!

td5man

stanflt wrote: »

I thought you were in Meath

Yea the better part

td5man

whelan1 wrote: »

ye, costa del kells:D

Roll on magic day!!!

mahoney_j

The weather forecast after the news has peeved me ff again,Wet thursday and friday but milder but then back to cold east and north wind and cruically no feckin growth from sunday,Could really do with some mild weather as bar the first few paddocks grazed in feb the rest of gthe farm is more or less on the floor grass wise and even at that the first paddocks grazed wont be long dissapering when i return to them in less than 3 weeks

delaval

mahoney_j wrote: »

The weather forecast after the news has peeved me ff again,Wet thursday and friday but milder but then back to cold east and north wind and cruically no feckin growth from sunday,Could really do with some mild weather as bar the first few paddocks grazed in feb the rest of gthe farm is more or less on the floor grass wise and even at that the first paddocks grazed wont be long dissapering when i return to them in less than 3 weeks

I feel your pain!!

blue5000

Out today and looks like in again tomorrow, next week who knows. All I know is the back wall of the silage pit is getting closer.......

.http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055579971&page=190

WTF are ice pellets?? I'm guessing really big/small hail stones.

weekendfarmer

What Silage bales making now ?? consuming 6 bales a day so will be out in 3 weeks

delaval

weekendfarmer wrote: »

What Silage bales making now ?? consuming 6 bales a day so will be out in 3 weeks

We are selling crap bales for €25 collected

royalmeath

delaval wrote: »

We are selling crap bales for €25 collected

I admire your honesty

Timmaay

I couldn't offload our crap (well 68dmd, but heavy enough to flip any tractor!) for 20quid a bale asking, alot of tillage around me though!

weekendfarmer

I am in limerick, lads looking for 28 euro locally collected. Late second cut silage.

moy83

We have another two, maybe three weeks left in the pit and not a pick of grass . Its the first time I can ever remember us running out of silage . We sold about 150 off the garden last year ,talk about dumbasses

weekendfarmer

moy83 wrote: »

We have another two, maybe three weeks left in the pit and not a pick of grass . Its the first time I can ever remember us running out of silage . We sold about 150 off the garden last year ,talk about dumbasses

Nearly did that myself ... Thank god diddnt P.... addys day gone and not a pick here either

keep going

going to be a rough couple of days only letting cows out now:(

kevthegaff

id prefer feeding meal and straw at least ye know what ur getting. only 1 week of silage left

darragh_haven

We have most of the bullocks back in. only 20 out in the sheltered rough ground. Lucky enough to have silage in the pit. But i'd say we'll stop selling it soon. I'd rather be looking at it in the pit come may than looking at the back wall in 2 or 3 weeks. The weather looks crap for the next while too, and the grass has retreated into the ground.

Grecco

Weather is promised to stay miserable for the next 10 days at least
Cold, Windy stormy wet weather for the end of March

td5man

Grecco wrote: »

Weather is promised to stay miserable for the next 10 days at least
Cold, Windy stormy wet weather for the end of March

Frosty nights first week April